How does data sovereignty relate to the European robotics supply chain?

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Data sovereignty is a key reason European robotics firms push for supply chains built in Europe rather than relying fully on China or other non-European production

Data sovereignty in robotics refers to who controls the ownership, handling, and access to the data generated and used by robots, including the large volumes of information collected during training and day-to-day tasks. In this context, European executives argue that if robot production is concentrated outside Europe, valuable or sensitive data could be handled by parties “in the wrong hands,” creating a sovereignty problem for European users and customers.
Robotics depends on large volumes of training and task data that can be sensitive
Robotics developers use vast quantities of data to train robots’ movements, and they collect even more information as robots perform tasks. That makes the data itself a central asset rather than a minor byproduct, because training and operational data are tied to how robots work and how they are improved over time. For European firms, this is the core reason data protection and control become part of supply-chain decisions.
Relying on non-European production raises the risk of data access beyond European control
Francesco Ferro, CEO of Spain’s PAL Robotics, warned that if robot production were to go entirely to Japan or China, it could become “a big problem” for sovereignty. His concern is that valuable or sensitive data could end up being accessed or controlled by entities outside Europe, rather than remaining under European control. The risk is framed specifically around data “falling into the wrong hands,” not around robot performance.
A “totally European supply chain” is presented as a way to keep data within Europe
Ferro said Europe should aim to create “a totally European supply chain, without thinking only about price,” linking supply-chain location to sovereignty outcomes. The underlying idea is that when key stages of production are kept within Europe, clients can have more confidence that sensitive data will stay within a European-controlled ecosystem. This is positioned as an alternative to prospective customers buying Chinese robots, which would be tied to the same sovereignty concern.
European firms balance manufacturing goals with gaps in available know-how and components
Even firms that emphasise European manufacturing acknowledge that some parts of the AI and robotics stack are not fully available in Europe. For example, Enchanted Tools said at least 60 per cent of its Mirokai is manufactured in Europe, but it still relies on graphics processors from Nvidia to power its “brain” and the wider generative AI boom. This illustrates that “totally European” is treated as a supply-chain target for data control, even while certain technical inputs may come from outside Europe.

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How does data sovereignty relate to the European robotics supply chain?

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